Apparatus for handling material



Nov. 16, 1948.

L. B. GILCHRIST 2,454,055

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MATERIAL Filed May 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 #TTOR/VE K Nov. 15, 1948. L, B, glugHRlsT 2,454,055

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MATERIAL Filed May 9, 1947 I 3 ShetS-Sheet 2 HTTORNEY Nov. 16, 1948. L. B. GILCHRISIT 2,454,055

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MATERIAL Filed May 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 F5. 4 I F .5

Patented Nov. 16, 1948 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MATERIAL Lawrence B. Gilchrist, Hammondsville; Ohio, assignor to National Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application May 9, 1947, Serial No. 746,956

(Cl. 105-2'l1) I 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to' apparatus for handling materials and more particularly relates to improvements in thimble cars and the like which include tiltable ladles for transporting molten slag, molten metal and other liquids.

The present invention will be described more particularly in connection with a thimble car although it is not limited to thimble cars and its principles may be applied to other types of apparatus for handling materials in which there is a tiltable ladle or other container.

A thimble car includes a thimble or ladle mounted on a wheeled carriage adapted to move along tracks or rails for transporting materials. Thimble cars are often used, for example, for transporting molten slag from a metallurgical furnace to the slag dump. The ladle is so constructed and supported that it may be tilted to discharge the contents at the slag dump or other discharge location. This molten slag is at a high temperature and if some of it is accidentally spilled, the molten slag will damage the car and the tracks and is a potential danger to any workman near the car. Consequently, it is highly desirable that the ladle not be prematurely or accidentally tilted to spill all or part of the molten slag.

Accordingly, a primary object'of the present invention is to provide improvements in apparatus for handling and conveying liquids that include means for preventing accidental tilting of the liquid container and spillage of the container contents.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved thimble car that includes means adapted to prevent tilting of the thimble or ladle when in an operative position and that can be moved to an inoperative position so that the thimble can be tilted to discharge its contents when desirable.

In accordance with the present invention, the ladle of a thimble car is mounted on a pair of spaced apart gears engaging a pair of racks. A power actuated mechanism is provided for relatively moving the racks and gears to turn the gears and tilt the ladle. A stop member having a toothed portion adapted to engage the teeth of the rack is provided to prevent accidental tilting of the ladle. The stop is supported for movement into an operative position adjacent the corresponding gear with the toothed portion engaging the rack to prevent undesirable relative movement between the rack and gear, and is supported for movement to an inoperative position free of the rack to permit tilting of the ladle to VII discharge its contents. This arrangement including the stop prevents accidental spillage which would cause considerable damage.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following de tailed description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a thimble car embodying the principles of the present invention;

. Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the right hand end of the thimble car of Figure 1 showing the mechanism for tilting the ladle;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation taken at the opposite end of the thimble car of Figure 1; and

Figures 4. and 5 are enlarged fragmentary views of the mechanism for preventing accidental tilting of the thimble car ladle.

Referring to the drawings, a thimble car includes a thimble or ladle l0 suspended in a collar H having oppositely extending, co-axial trunnions l2. On each trunnion l2 there is mounted an arcuate member or gear l3. Each gear I3 is supported on a. corresponding one of a pair of parallel, horizontal, spaced apart racks M. The parallel racks 14 are mounted on the thimble car frame 'l5 which is supported by a pair of spaced trucks l6 having flanged wheels H for engaging rails (notgshown) so that the thimble car can be moved along track rails to transport the'ladle contents from one location to another.

As shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2, the thimble car includes power actuated means IQ for relatively moving the gears 13 and racks I4 to turn the gears l3, collar l0 and ladle I0 to position the ladle in an upright material-carrying position, as shown in the drawings,for receiving and transporting molten slag or other material or to position the ladle in a tilted material-discharging position to pour out the ladle contents. The ladle-tilting mechanism l9 includes a pneumatic cylinder 2!! slidably mounted on paralleL upper and lower rods 2! and 2-2 sup ported by a pair of spaced plates 23 on the frame I5, The cylinder 20 is horizontally movable along rods 21 and 22. A bracket .24 is fixedly mounted on the side of cylinder 20 and supports a plate 25 containing an elongated, vertical slot 26 into which projects a pin 2'! connected to the adjacent gear !3. Thus, when the cylinder 20 moves along rods 2! and 22, the pin 21 is moved through an arc to turn the gears I3 and the ladle l0. A hollow piston rod 29 of cylinder 20 is fixedly com nected to the plates 23, see Figure 2, and is provided with connections 39 and 3i at its opposite ends which are in communication with the opposite interior ends of cylinder 20. The connections 30 and 3| are connected through pipes 32 and 33, respectively, with a control valve 34 having an actuating control lever 35. The valve'34 is connected through pipe 36 to a source of fluid under pressure:

In the drawings, the valve lever 35 is shown in the neutral position. When the lever 35 is manually moved in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 2, fluid-under pressure is admitted through pipe 33 and connection 3| to the right hand endof cylinder 261 The piston rod 29 is fixed so that cylinder 29 moves toward the right which turns the gears l3 and causes them to roll along racks I4 to' tilt the ladle I and discharge the ladle contents. The lever 35 can then be moved to the extreme counterclockwise position tor-reverse valve 34 and contract inlet 31 with pipe 36-whereby the cylinder is returned to its original position. The valve 34 is so constructed that when fluid under pressure is admitted to either end of the cylinder 20 the oppositeend is in communication with the atmosphere.

The thimble car is adapted primarily for transporting molten metal or slag. For various reasons, there is danger of the ladle Ifl'tipping and accidentally discharging this hot liquid which would cause considerable damage and would endanger the lives of the workmen. As shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 3 to 5, there is provided on the frame adjacent one of the gears l3; a mechanism 33 for preventing tilting of the ladle I0. The mechanism 38 includes a pair of spaced stops 39' and 49, each including a lower toothed portion 4| adapted to-engage the teeth of rack l4 and an upwardly extending member 42. Each stop 39-and 49 includes a pair of plates 43, each of which has formed therein an open vertical slot 44. The stops are slidably supported on horizontal table members 45 on frame 15. An elongated guide 45' is provided on each table that fits between two adjacent teeth of the toothed portion 4] of the corresponding stops 39 or 40 for guiding the stops and maintaining them in proper alignment so that the teeth on the stops will properly register with the teeth of the rack. An operating lever 46- is pivotally mounted inspaced brackets 41 and includes a middle U-shaped portion 48 which engages slots 44 of plates-43 of both stops 39 and 49. At each end of lever 35, there is a handle portion. 49.

As shown-in Figures 3 and 4, the stops 39 and 40 are in the operative position adjacent opposite sides of the gear I3with the toothed portions 4| engaging the rack I4. The members. 42 extend upwardly adjacent opposite sides of the gear so that relative. movement between the gears l3 andlrack I4 is prevented. When it isdesirable to empty the ladle one of the handle portions 49 is manually grasped and turned in. a counterclockwise direction to turn the U-shaped portion 49 through anarc andimove both-stops from the operative position shown in Figure 4 to the inoperative position shown-in Figure 5. When itis desirable to return the stops 39 and. to. the operative position, the handle 49 is turned in a clockwise direction to return the stops to the position shown in Figure4.

The present invention has numerous advantages. The stops prevent or permit, at. will, turning, of the ladle and damage to the plant and workmen by spilling molten slag is avoided. The upwardly projecting portions 42 of the stops prevent the gear from rolling up onto the stops and crushing them. The toothed portions of the stops prevent slippage and securely anchor the stops in position.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for conveying material, the combination comprising a container; a rack; a gear engaging the rack and connected to the container, said gear being movable in a path back and forth along the rack to turn the gear and container from one position to another position; a pair" of stops, each having a tooth engaging portion: adapted to engage a tooth of the rack; and means movably supporting the stops for movement into an operative position adjacent opposite sides of the gear and in the path of movement of the gear with said portions each engaging a rack tooth'and for movement to an inoperative position free of the rack, said stops when. in the operative position holding .the gear and container in one. position.

2'. In apparatus for conveying material, the combinationcomprising a frame; a pair of spaced apart, parallel, horizontal racks on the frame, a container; a pair of spaced apart gear members connected. to the container and mounted on the rack for movement therealong; means for. moving the gear members back and forth in a path along the racks to turn the gear members. and the container to a material-carrying position and to a material-discharging position; a pair of spaced stops each having a toothed portion adapted to engage the same rack; and. means movably supporting the stops adjacent one of the racks for movement into an operative position in the path of movement of and adjacent opposite sides of the corresponding gear member with the toothed portions, engaging the rack to prevent turning of the container and for movement to an inoperative position free of the rack to permit turning of the container, said stops when in the operative position being constructed and arranged to hold the container in the materialcarrying position.

3. In apparatus for conveying material, the combination comprising a frame, a pair of spaced apart parallel, horizontal racks on the frame, a container; a pair of spaced apart gear members connected to the container and mounted on the rack for movement therealong; means for moving the gear members back and forth in a path along the racks to turn the gear members and the container to a material-carrying position and to a material-discharging position; a pair of spaced. stops each having a toothed portion adapted to engage the same rack; means movably supporting the stops adjacent one of'the racks for movement into an operative positionin the path of movement of and adjacent. opposite sides of the corresponding gear member withthe toothed portions engaging the rack to prevent turningof the container and. for movement to an inoperative position free of the rackto permit turning of the container; and. a manually operable crank member connected to said; pair of stops, said crank member being. operable. to move said stops to the operative position, in which position the stops holdthe container in thematerial-carnyingposition, and to move. said stops. to. the inoperative position, whereby the container can be turned to the. material-dis,- charging position.

4'. A thimble car comprising, in. combination,

a wheeled carriage adapted to be moved along rails; a pair of parallel, horizontal, spaced apart racks extending transversely of the carriage; a pair of gear members; a ladle suspended from and connected to the pair of gear members, said gear members being mounted on the racks for movement back and forth along the racks to turn the ladle from an upright position to a tilted position and from the tilted position to the upright position; means operable to move the gear members back and forth along the racks to turn the container from one position to the other; a pair of spaced stops adjacent one of the racks, each stop having a toothed portion adapted to engage the rack teeth and an upwardly extending portion; and means supporting the stops laterally movable to an operative .position adjacent opposite sides of the corresponding gear member when the container is in the upright position, the toothed portions of each stop engaging the rack teeth and the upwardly extending portion of each stop being adjacent the periphery of the gear member, and supporting the stops laterally movable to an inoperative position free of the rack and gear member to permit movement of the gear members along the racks to turn the ladle, said stops in the operative position holding the ladle in the upright position.

LAWRENCE B. GILCHRIST.

No references cited. 

